- The gala will be held at the Llotja de Lleida Conference Center and will bring together more than 1,000 pork industry professionals. IRTA has already opened registration, and the jury has begun visiting the farms nominated for the special awards.
The countdown is underway for the 32nd edition of the Porc d’Or Awards. The event, organized by IRTA, will be held at the Llotja de Lleida Conference Center and will bring together key players in the Spanish pork sector.
Following the jury meetings held on July 21 at the IRTA Fruitcentre in Lleida, a total of 99 farms were nominated for their technical results. These farms were selected based on data confidentially analyzed using the BDporc system, the technical basis for the awards. The farms come from nine autonomous communities and will compete for a total of 43 statuettes, including technical and special awards.
Open registrations
Registration for the gala has been open since September 10th. The application form and all updated information are available on the official BDporc website (bdporc.irta.es). Attendance is free, but requires prior registration and confirmation from the organizers.
Galicia, Aragon and Catalonia account for the majority of the nominated farms.
A total of 99 nominated farms are competing for one or more of the gold, silver, and bronze Porc d’Or statuettes, based on four technical criteria: Longevity (this year defined as the percentage of sows that survive their third cycle, a parameter associated with animal welfare and sustainability), Numerical Productivity, Farrowing Rate, and Lactation Management (one Porc d’Or Gold statuette per category). In addition, each criterion is classified into four categories according to the number of breeding sows on the farm.
In addition to the 40 technical awards presented by criteria and category, this edition also includes the presentation of three special awards that recognize overall excellence, sustainability, and good health practices: the Porc d’Or Diamond Award, the MAPA Porc d’Or Sustainability Award, and the Porc d’Or One Health Award from Ceva Animal Health.
The autonomous community with the highest number of nominations is Galicia, with a total of 38 nominations spread across 27 farms, mainly from the provinces of A Coruña, Pontevedra, and Ourense.
Aragon follows with 33 nominations for 26 farms, especially concentrated in the provinces of Huesca and Zaragoza. In third place is Catalonia, with 19 nominations for 17 farms, spread across the country.
Other notable communities include Navarre with six nominations, Andalusia with four nominations, and Castilla-La Mancha with two nominations.
The farms nominated for the Porc d’Or with Diamond Award, which recognizes the best white-coated pig farm based on the excellence of their overall production results, data collection and processing protocols, as well as animal handling and care, biosecurity, and sustainability, are: Granja Valfarta, owned by the Coopertativa Ivars d’Urgell , located in Sena (Huesca); Ponte Coirós, owned by the Coren company, located in Coirós (A Coruña); and SAT 4835 Urra-Zurucuain, owned by Piensos Costa, in Zurucuain (Navarre).
The following have been nominated for the Porc d’Or MAPA Sustainability Award, granted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food and recognizing best practices in animal health, welfare, and the environment: Cerdos de Luxe, from Piensos Costa, in Tauste (Zaragoza); El Cerruco, from Agrocesa – Vall Companys Grup, in San Esteban de Gormaz (Soria); and Hidalgo Navarro Ganadera, also from Piensos Costa, in Monzón (Huesca).
Finally, the Porc d’Or One Health Award, from Ceva Animal Health, promotes a comprehensive approach to health on pig farms and seeks to recognize the collaborative work of farmers and veterinarians who implement innovative measures on their farms to improve animal health. The finalists are: Agrorozas, in Poio (Pontevedra); Laguarres – Agropecuaria del Isábena, from Mazana Piensos Compuestos, in Laguarres (Huesca); and Pork Calanda, from Piensos Costa, in Samper de Calanda (Teruel).
Visits to farms nominated for special awards
Over the next few weeks, the Porc d’Or Awards jury will conduct in-person visits to the farms nominated for special awards. These awards evaluate aspects such as animal welfare, environmental sustainability, collaborative work between farmers and veterinarians, and a comprehensive approach to production management.
The visits are organized by technical committees and are scheduled for September and early October. The goal is to gain a first-hand look at the nominated farms and ensure a fair and balanced assessment.
Consolidated recognition
Since its first edition in 1994, the Porc d’Or Awards have established themselves as the leading technical recognition of Spanish pork. Organized by IRTA, they are supported by INTERPORC, with Ceva Salud Animal as the main partner, and the support of premium sponsors Farm Faes, IFR Group, OPP Group, Sabdseg Banasegur, and Semen Cardona, in addition to other sponsors and collaborators.
The gala will once again be an opportunity to highlight the daily efforts of farms and professionals working toward more efficient, sustainable, and data-driven production.
More information: bdporc.irta.es
